Kandoo-Kansay

Be Careful What You Teach

Kate Fenner - Sunday, February 24, 2013

Sometimes when we teach a horse something we get, not only the behaviour we want, but another behaviour, often that we don't want.
Take teaching the horse to back up by standing in front of him and flicking the lead rope at him. When the flicking increases sufficiently the horse will usually step back. However he invariably also throws his head in the air whilst doing so.
In reality then we are teaching the horse to back up, something we want, and to throw his head in the air, something we NEVER want.
Later, when the horse offers throwing his head in the air as a possible answer and the pressure doesn't go away because it is not what was wanted, where can he go? The only answer is up!